Londonderry Rep. Oliver Olsen To Resign From Vermont House

Olsen, an independent, announced Sunday that he is resigning from the Vermont House due to his work schedule.

"A vibrant democracy is dependent upon change," Olsen said in a press release announcing his resignation, "and the time has come for someone new to represent us."

Olsen, in the press release, said he has been reaching out to people in the district.

"It is important that the Governor ... have good options," Olsen said in the release. "The critical thing is that our next representative be an independent thinker who understands the unique needs of our region, and can work well with others to be an effective advocate for our community."

One person who has expressed an interest in serving the district is Londonderry Town Clerk Kelly Pajala.

"These sorts of things don't just come along often in life," Pajala told VPR. "And given the opportunity to affect change while my kids are still growing up in Vermont, I thought was something that was just too important to pass up."

Gov. Phil Scott will appoint Olsen's successor to the Windham-Bennington-Windsor district, which includes Londonderry, Weston, Winhall, Jamaica and Stratton.

Twenty years ago, Act 60 reshaped Vermont's education system. Designed to tackle inequality in education spending among towns, the legislation divided communities and made national headlines. Vermont Edition looks back at that debate, and at Act 60's legacy in today's battles over education and equity.